


Nepos

by MilayaMilenZeal



Series: Long Live the Queen [20]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Coincidence or fate?, Gen, Late Night Conversations, coincidental meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 16:23:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10666395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilayaMilenZeal/pseuds/MilayaMilenZeal
Summary: M.E. 773 - M.E. 784The first time Regina met him was by chance. The second time was a coincidence. But by the third time she’s starting to get suspicious…





	Nepos

Regina is 6 years old when she first meets him… well, runs into him, really. She doesn’t speak to him, but they do look at each other and he’s looking at her so funny… with a smile that seems nice, but there’s something about it she can’t really place, and so she remains silent when he raises a hand and waves. She doesn’t even wave back.

This doesn’t bother him. And he merely smiles again and then leaves.

Just like that. And she doesn’t see him again for four years.

 

It isn’t long after she’s turned 10 that she runs into him again. They’re both older, and yet somehow she still recognizes him. He looks to her and he seems almost surprised to see her, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he – _yet again_ – smiles at her and raises his hand in a small wave. This time, she hesitates, thinking, before she slowly raises her hand and waves back, but hesitantly.

He doesn’t mind, it seems. He just smiles again and after giving her a nod, he leaves her be again.

Regina chalks their second meeting up to coincidence. She pretty much tells herself to stop fussing about it and focus on other things. Like fishing!

 

It’s the third time that she Regina starts feeling a little suspicious of the guy. She’s 17 now, and she’s just finished handling another hunt with her teammates behind the back of her Dad, when he suddenly shows up at the Old Lestallum hotel, of all places.

It’s late, and Regina’s walking out onto the roof to take a small breather, just to take in the fresh air, you know? Her friends are tired, so they declined joining her, and it’s fine, really. She’s not going to stay here for long.

And then she looks up and there he is.

“…You again?”

It’s the first thing she says to him, but it sounds appropriate. He looks up, surprised at the sudden call, before he permits himself a smile, the same one he’s given her the previous times they’ve met. She almost believes he’s not going to say anything in response, but no, he actually _does_ speak.

“Yes, nice to see you, too, Regina,” he says with a quiet chuckle, and she’s on edge immediately.

“…How’d you know my name?” she asks him, narrowing her eyes at him because who wouldn’t be suspicious when a random stranger suddenly knows your name.

He seems unperturbed by her clear hostility, and instead, he merely smiles – _again!_ – and says with a perfectly composed voice: “No need to be so alarmed; Gentiana’s told me about you. Only good things, of course.”

“…Gentiana…?”

The name doesn’t immediately hit home, but then she remembers a woman she would call “Genny” at a young age, but only shortly before going to her full name. A woman who, up until a few moments ago, she once believed she had dreamt up, because there’d never been any evidence to support the fact that Gentiana had ever been there, or even existed. Even though she _did_ keep appearing in some of her pictures, when she was 100% sure she hadn’t been there when the shot was actually taken.

He’s smiling again as he moves his white-blonde bangs out of his eyes, tucking them behind his ear, though they fall back to frame his ice blue eyes almost immediately after he lowers his hand again. “Don’t worry; I’ve no intention to harm you… or to stalk you and your friends.” He seems highly amused by her suspicion of him, but she doesn’t much care either way. “I’m just here by chance.”

“…Yeah, whatever…” she murmurs as she moves over to the edge of the roof, purposefully bumping into him as she passes him. He doesn’t say anything to it, but she hasn’t expected him to. She settles on the edge and just stares out into the darkness.

She doesn’t even look up when he moves over and sits down there as well, though thankfully nowhere near her. They sit there for a long time, not saying a word and just staring out into the darkness. Or at least, Regina knows _she_ is; she doesn’t know about Blondie – as she decides to call him for now – and she doesn’t care, either.

“Are you holding up alright?” he suddenly asks, and she’s tempted to look over, but she ignores the urge and keeps her gaze ahead of her.

“…Fine. Not that it’s any of your business.”

He laughs and she almost wants to punch him, but she holds back. It’s unbecoming.

…wait what?

The phrase just suddenly popped up in her head, but she has no idea from where it came or how she even knew the word. In the end, she shakes it off and lightly kicks out her feet. She’s not sure why she’s still there, but she figures it might have to do with her pride and not wanting to be seen as weak. Her Dad once told her she’s almost like her father in that aspect, and she’s happy to know that. She’s not even sure why, but it feels good to know, for some reason.

“…it’s so nice and quiet, huh?”

“…hm?”

That comment comes out of nowhere, and she’s not sure if he was expecting her to respond to it, but he keeps going regardless.

“Ever since the dawn returned… it’s so peaceful…”

She’s not entirely sure if he’s actually trying to make conversation, or if he was just talking to himself rather than her. But again, whatever the case, he just keeps talking.

“I somewhat wish it would never end…”

As confused as she is about his one-sided conversation, she’s even more confused about what she says then after scoffing. The words are cold, but they do ring true in the dead of night.

“Maybe… but every ray of light casts a shadow. Just coz it seems peaceful, doesn’t mean it is…”

Regina had gradually come to realize with time that life wasn’t as nice as she’d always believed as a child. She supposes it has to do with the childish innocence that… well, only children possessed. Unaware of the darkness hiding under their bed. Or perhaps not unaware, just unwilling to accept that it’s there, because if you deny something’s existence, what’s there to fear?

But children grow up, and with age comes wisdom, and the realization that the darkness is _everywhere_. She doesn’t even know when she started to see the darkness lurking in the back alleys of Lestallum, but when she did, it was like the curtain had been drawn away and hse could finally see the world for what it was.

And there are times when she wishes she didn’t…

“….Yes, you’re right…”

She’s surprised when he agrees with her simple statement. She’s sure anyone else would try to deny what she believes to be true, telling her that everything is going fine. But she knows better…

“So…” Regina starts, leaning on her knee as she regards him, “what do you suppose the world needs to be fixed, huh?”

He allows a small laugh as he looks up to the heavens. “Well… a proper governing system would be a nice start, I suppose.”

“…We have the secretary, don’t we?” she points out, and she thanks Libby for her lessons now.

“Yes… but the Secretary was never meant to rule so many people. It was designed to rule a single city… not a continent.”

“…Touché.” She hums in thought. “So, what, you think _you_ can do better?”

This time he almost guffaws, she can tell, as he shakes his head amidst his gasps for breath. “No… no, I’m not that prideful that I consider myself a proper ruler. I’d sooner see myself as a guard… perhaps an advisor, even, to a _true_ monarch. I would be little help in a position of power.”

“…Yeah, well, sadly there’s no more monarchs left, huh?” she murmurs.

“Oh, I’m not so sure…”

“…huh?”

He’s smiling again. “What if there _was_ one left?”

A wasted suggestion… an _impossible_ suggestion…

The Line of Lucis was gone. Dead and buried. Much as everyone wished it wasn’t so.

Iedolas Aldercapt of Niflheim had never sired an heir, too focused on his conquest of Lucis to consider the future of his own realm. And even then, would anyone accept the rule of the empire after everything that had happened?

“…Yeah, right…” she says with a small scoff, as she flips her legs back over the edge to step back on the roof. “You keep on dreaming and let me know how that works out for you.”

He allows a laugh. “Sure, Regina. I’ll be sure to keep you posted.”

She stops walking. A sudden realization hitting her. She turns around. “Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Not that I care… but do you have a name for yourself?”

He smiles at her. “Solaris. Solaris Nox Fleuret. Pleased to meet you… properly.”

“…uh-huh,” she mumbles, ignoring the slight twinge of recognition in the back of her head. She’s too tired. “Regina Argentum. Pleasure… I guess.” She gives him no chance to reply as she turns and leave with only a single call of “Good night” behind her.

 

It isn’t until a year later, when she’s studying with Libby that she almost smacks the book she’s reading down on her desk, staring at the chapter’s name and almost missing Libby’s disgruntled complaints. She’s quick to apologize, but her mind’s racing a mile a minute.

She’s still staring when Libby goes back to her own studies. She’s looking at the image of the happy family of an age that has long since past, watching the well-dressed mother with her two children. The closest people to the Astrals next to the Line of Lucis, permitting communication between the two realms.

Their family name is displayed proudly in gilded lettering below it;

_Tenebrae Royal Family of Nox Fleuret_

**Author's Note:**

> Dun dun duuuuuun~


End file.
